velvet puppet - levi
by Echo-of-Rainbows
Summary: Being alone in an old pub on the westward side of Wall Sina was the last thing Levi wanted to on a dreary, Thursday night.


❁ཻུ۪۪⸙͎

ｖｅｌｖｅｔ ｐｕｐｐｅｔ

**Being alone in an old pub on the westward side of Wall Sina was the last thing Levi wanted to on a dreary, Thursday night.**

Levi sat at the bar. It was vacuous save for him. Even the owner seemed to have already left him alone, despite her trying to make small talk.

Just the captain and the scotch in his glass.

But after what transpired that morning, he wondered who would condemn him.

His squad had tried to convince him from going, but after that... unfortunate "event". The man could no longer tarry in that building.

"_Fuck_..." the man verbalized to no one in particular. The silence in response was virtually sickening.

'Forcing his frustrations back down, he lifted the scotch and gulped it down. The burning liquid warmed his throat and lungs. It was the only thing keeping the man thought was somewhat keeping him sane nowadays.

But the longer he tried to push it away, the more he tried to take his mind of the present. To slip into the past rather then suffer in sorrow...

But it didn't work. Levi was still just at a bar. Keeping the whisky company.

The door behind him opens. Already knowing good and well who is, he doesn't turn around to check.

"Well, well, captain. I was hoping not to catch you here."

Petra.

"Ral," Levi started "Still haunting me, right? Go figure." He said taking another shot. Petra frowned.

"Really, Captain? Drinking? I hope this isn't going to turn into a Moblit problem." she said disappointed.

Levi slams the shot glass down on the bar counter cracking the base.

"You know what?_ Stop it_."

"Stop what, sir?"

"_This_ shit. Seems like every time I do something reckless _you_ show up. Why can't I be haunted by Auruo or Gunther. No, of course not..."

He goes for the bottle.

"Of course you pick _me_, right? I did something wrong so this is my punishment. Makes human sense, really."

There was a long, pregnant pause.

Then...

She laughed.

"Captain, do you not get it by now?" She giggled. The aforementioned captain looked behind him, the first time doing so that whole conversation.

Petra slowly walked to the stool right of him and sat down. Looking ahead, she said:

"I only choose to watch over people I care about." she looked at the polished liquor bottles on the shelves in front of them.

Levi looked at her, astounded.

"Care about? Me?"

"Uh huh."

'"Why not haunt your father? Or hell haunt Hange. I'm sure she'd love to have a ghost around." He said taking another shot, some of it leaking out the bottom. Though that went unnoticed.

"I can care about more than one person, y'know." She smirked. "Don't take it so personal."

"Trust me, I won't."

Silence.

"So Captain..." The girl started. "What happened this morning?"

Levi turned away.

"Tsk. Sounds like you already know what happened." He said looking at the shelves.

Petra turned to face him. "I'd only seen enough to be concerned."

"Really now?"

"Really."

He picked up the bottle again, but this time he hesitated.

"I..." He started.

"Why did Commander Erwin say "Let them go, Levi"-er... Captain." Petra asked.

Levi shrugged in response. Petra frowned.

"C'mon. Tell me."

He sighed.

"I kept "them". Even after he told me not to... I kept them." Petra was confused.

"And I left them sitting out... and they were gone..."

Petra stared at him for a second before finally realizing what he was eluding to.

"You mean...?"

"The insignias." Levi was focusing on the shot glass now. "I lost them."

"Oh captain..."

"Got into a shitty fight with Eyebrows and he told me he moved them. It's funny, really."

Petra blinked. "How so?" She asked.

Levi waited for a second. He took that time to pour out another shot.

"You want one? Taste like piss but isn't complete crap."

Petra looked at him, obviously unamused. "Captain, what's so funny?"

Levi looked at her and chuckled. "He waited until after I chewed everyone out before he said it." he finished. Petra snickered.

"You really did mess up, huh captain?" Petra asked. Levi scoffed and looked at her.

"So you're taking the piss out of me, huh?"

"No, just telling the truth. Y'know, being honest." she replied. "Commander Erwin isn't wrong, captain. You keeping our old insignias was unhealthy. You do need to understand there was nothing you could do–"

"The _hell_ I couldn't have done something!" he older man spat. Petra sighed.

"Give me one variable you could've changed. It has to be a good one."

"I could have..." He drawled off. Petra slammed her hand on the counter.

"Trick question!" She exclaimed which startled him.

"Trick...what?"

"Look, no matter how many times you run that scenario in your head you can't change anything. I'm still dead, Eld's dead, Gunther's dead and Auruo's dead!" She stood over him, counting on her fingers as she list off her dead comrades.

"And if you don't accept it and move on, you'll let that distract you and everyone else around you of your goal!" She finished off. Levi clicked his tongue and stands up to face her.

"What goal?! To lose more of my squad? What kind of answer is that?!"

"To free humanity, dang it! No matter the sacrifice." Levi was about to walk out when she grabbed his arm.

"People have died on expeditions and guess what? We learn. We fix what we lack and we move on."

"You–"

"It's not healthy! And it's selfish! You don't think our families want them more that you do? My dad didn't even receive my insignia! I bet you're still holding onto mine." She humphed and turned away from him.

"No, you're wrong."

"Huh?"

"I gave yours away. Sorry to disappoint."

Petra was pleasantly surprised. "You did that? How come?"

"Let's just say... I'm not as selfish as you might think."

* * *

**After about thirty-four more minutes of chatting, they realize it was half-past midnight.**

_"This was interesting, captain. Maybe we should have more conversations like this."_ Petra stood up from her spot.

"What, you have another friend to go haunt?" He said quite disappointed. Petra sighs and smiles.

_"Well, I can care about more than one person, captain."_ She teased. Levi gave a small smile.

"Knowing how your routine works, it feels certain I'll see you around?" He asked, filling up one last shot to finish off the night. She smiles.

_"I don't know, you tell me? Are you going to work on yourself or will we need to have another therapy session?"_ She inquired.

Levi turns in his seat to face her.

"Yes, only if you promise to come back." He offered her his hand. Petra gladly took it.

_"Deal."_ she said.

As she began to exit, Levi asked her one last favor.

"Petra."

_"Yes, captain?"_

"Call me Levi." he offered. "Just Levi."

Petra looked more than happy to.

_"Alright then, Levi."_

And with that, she faded away.

* * *

**"There you are, Levi." A voice said from the doorway.**

"Oi, Erwin. What took you so long?" Levi asked, standing up from the bar-stool. Erwin crossed his arms.

"You've been gone for eight hours. I almost announced a search party, but I figured you could handle yourself."

"_Tch_. Of course you would consider a search party."

"Are you okay?"

Levi looked at the cracked shot glass he'd been holding for quite a while. Remembering his conversation with his former squad member.

"Just fine. No one threw a fit while I was gone, huh? Your eyebrows seem to be intact. That's good." Levi said nonchalantly. Erwin brush the comment off with a forward answer.

"No. Let's go, it's late."

"Hmm..."

The two soldiers leave through the door, as they head down the street, Erwin finally asks:

"Levi?"

ㅤ

ㅤ

"What?"

ㅤ

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_"Who were you talking to?"_

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* * *

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**_*** THE END***_**

_┕❥i need to work on my homework lol_

_┕❥sorry any ooc characters, I'll do better_

_┕❥i hope you enjoyed_


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